Barnes in Common

the magazine of Churches Together in Barnes
March/April 2007

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Pastoral letter

from Rev Roger Hutchings, Barnes Methodist Church

This year Methodists are celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of Charles Wesley, whose main contribution to the catholic and apostolic Church was, of course, the poetry of his massive collection of hymns – I'm told there are over 6,000. The other day, in the Foundry Chapel at the side of Wesley's Chapel in City Road, I was privileged to play the tiny, beautifully-preserved chamber organ which belonged to Charles, and on which he undoubtedly must have tried out many of those hymns. A group of us sang the hymn which begins with this verse – eminently suitable for this time of the Christian year:

'And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Saviour's blood?
Died he for me, who caused his pain?
For me, who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
That thou, my God, shouldst die for me?'

Every hymn that Charles wrote was packed full of biblical references, and his profound understanding of theology. It was, of course, what might now be called a High Church theology, as can clearly be seen in his eucharistic hymns, some of which find their way into the hymn collections of every English-speaking church.

'One with the living bread divine
Which now by faith we eat,
Our hearts and minds and spirits join,
And all in Jesus meet.'

Charles Wesley's use of language was astonishing. His hymns contain words which it's surprising to find set to music at all. 'Incomprehensibly' for example! Who else could have written this couplet from a Christmas hymn?

'Our God, contracted to a span,
Incomprehensibly made man.'

Or again, who else could have thought of incorporating 'inextinguishable' in a line of just three words? The second verse of 'O Thou who camest from above' reads:

'There let it for thy glory burn
With inextinguishable blaze,
And trembling to its source return,
In humble prayer and fervent praise.'

Whether sung to the 19th century tune Hereford or the 18th century Wilton, it's powerful stuff, used at ordination services well beyond Methodism. I suppose Methodists are famed (and teased!) for their hymn-singing tradition. It's true we take it seriously: it's the congregation's response to the liturgy, and Charles Wesley more than most understood how important it was for Christians to make that response their own. It's hard to imagine a more complete response to Easter, for example, than the great 'Christ the Lord is risen today; Alleluia!' But I'll end by quoting what's perhaps the favourite of all, the mighty 'Love Divine:'

'Finish then thy new creation,
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in thee:
Changed from glory into glory
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee
Lost in wonder, love and praise!'

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